Ramona Kuehne back in action

Photos: Team SES / P. Gerke

“I’m glad twice: First, I can finally take action in the competition events, and secondly I’m boxing in the capital of Brandenburg. It’s like a home game and a tribute to my fans,” said WBO, WIBF and WBF super featherweight female world champion Ramona Kuehne (19-1, 6 KOs) on the date for her next title defense. On Saturday, March 2, Ramona climbs the into the ring to defend her belts in the MBS arena of Potsdam, Germany.

For one year, the 31-year-old champion couldn’t contest a fight. Most recently, she stopped Renata Domsodi in the 8th Round in Offenburg back in January 2012. In May 2012 the native Berliner was operated on for a cruciate ligament tear in the knee. After the successful rehabilitation phase Kuehne could re-enter rehab training last summer. Now the world champion is preparing for the title fight in Potsdam.

“After such a long break I’m on fire for the duel, but I’m also curious to see the affect of my time out of boxing,” said Kuehne. In any case, the boxer comes to a difficult task. Her opponent will be Halanna Dos Santos (14-4, 9 KOs) from Brazil. The South American super featherweight activist punched within her career twice for world champion honors. She has title fight experience and for the weight class a unusually high knockout rate. Halanna Dos Santos is primarily known because of her offensive style as she applies permanent pressure. “I’m preparing tactically well for the Brazilian. In the ring, I will determine the fight and I do not leave the scepter to her,” commented Ramona.

That the world title fight comes to Potsdam is a the initiative of Prime Minister Matthias Platzek. Brandenburg’s Prime Minister had addressed Axel Schulz on the edge of Parkinson’s gala last year, if he could be committed to bring an international boxing evebt to Potsdam. “I was on fire with the idea and then I put together the right people,” said Schulz. Ramona, who was also at the gala was absolutely thrilled. The idea now has become a reality and Axel Schulz has delivered on his promises. Even more: “With my agency, iSchulz, we have already sold 1,000 tickets. We want to make the MBS arena to a witch’s cauldron,” stated the German heavyweight legend.

Promoter Ulf Steinforth plans more attractive professional duels in Potsdam in addition to the top women’s fight. “We will give the fans an exciting boxing evening. We want to bring one or two more title fights to Potsdam,” assured Steinforth. For the Magdeburg professional boxing stable, the fight in Potsdam a premiere. “We are pleased that our Brandenburg champion here have a real workhorse. And we want to bring world-class boxing to Potsdam.”

Direct quotes from the press conference

Ramona Kühne: “Of course, the injury was a major setback and long break also! Everyone is always talking of the toughest preparation in advance for a fight, only in my case it was worth the hardest preparation, through I had to do. But I stand on this hardness, these challenges in training. Now everything is positive and I am super glad to boxing here in Potsdam. To my opponent, I will not say too much: She must get along with me and I’m not with her! Halanna Dos Santos is bigger than me and that I normally lies. You want the belt, but I will not let them ran! A word about Graciano: in construction training, he was an incredibly good motivator, has built me up with his great tips – and by the way I’m going to introduce them to him even further the women’s boxing.”

Coach Stephan Kühne: “If an athlete is having such a violation for 4 weeks taken completely out of the movement, then the start, as with almost zero. After 3 to 4 months of rehab and now rehabilitation training, but we are now looking for a lot of work back to the usual level. We will now complete a great deal sparring, which is after the break for the ring feeling very, very necessary.”

SES Promoter Ulf Steinforth: “Ramona was particularly an end to this long period of rehabilitation is now complete. Compliment to their great endurance. Now it is also particularly pleased that she can make her dream true, as here to fight in the city of Potsdam. Potsdam is so traditionally a city of sports and so much open for this first professional boxing event in this city. We have a great hall, the Congress Hotel Potsdam offers the best conditions. 1000 tickets have been sold already. Thanks also to Axel Schulz, who is responsible with that we can organize and continue his part, that helps these SES gala to will be a success for sure!”

SES Box Gala from the MBS arena, TV broadcast live from 10:00 pm of SPORT, 2nd March 2013